After graduating from Athens College, I found myself in a period of searching — trying to decide which direction to pursue. My father, who was a nurse making home visits, was in contact with many people in Paleo Faliro. Among them was Professor Antonis Loizos of the National Technical University of Athens. So one day he took me to consult with him.

The first question Professor Loizos asked me was: “Which subjects do you enjoy?” I answered without a second thought: “Algebra and Drawing.” And then he told me: “Go ahead and become a Civil Engineer.”

Professor Loizos’s suggestion gave me a clear path forward — not only for my studies, but also for my entrepreneurial aspirations. At that time, the reconstruction of Athens was creating a wealth of business opportunities.

At the same time, an idea had already been maturing within me: to create a business that could supply my fellow students with the products we used every day — at very low prices and with personal service.

So, upon completing my second year at the Polytechnic — without owing any courses — I started, with 80,000 drachmas borrowed, a small shop of just 14 square metres. I named it “Plaision.”

The venture was a great success, but naturally I lost my third year of studies, as I was rightfully failed in Mechanics and Strength of Materials. Fortunately, there were no further delays, and so I managed to obtain my degree from the National Technical University of Athens — even though I never put it to use as a practising civil engineer. It is worth mentioning that the double all-night study sessions remain unforgettable, particularly during the mid-term examinations, together with my fellow students who offered me their unwavering support and solidarity.

What I did carry away, however, and what proved invaluable, was analytical thinking. I learned to break down every problem into its components, to reassemble it, to verify its correctness through a continuous process of trial and error, and to build my own experiential knowledge, grounded in real market conditions.

In this way I filled gaps I had never studied theoretically, such as management, marketing, and financial analysis. And those were only the beginning.

The constant need to innovate was the driving force behind my development up to this point. From it emerged:

• The first Turbo-X personal computer, assembled to each customer’s specifications.
• The first catalogue in the Greek market.
• The multi-channel experience, which began with the catalogue, continued with the e-shop, and was combined with the call centre and, of course, our retail stores.
• Our highly successful listing on the Athens Stock Exchange, with a record oversubscription of 395 times.
• Continuous recognition, as Plaision was ranked among the 500 fastest-growing companies in Europe for eight consecutive years.
• The design and construction of the pioneering Distribution Centre in Magoula, an investment of €30 million.
• Same-day order delivery during the lockdown periods, when every other alternative was impossible — an effort that was recognised and for which I was honoured with the award of “Greek Businessman of the Year.”

Today, after 56 years of continuous effort, we have an outstanding team of 1,700 people, 27 stores, and sales approaching half a billion euros.

One of the cornerstones of this journey was — and remains — my studies at the National Technical University of Athens.